5. & 6. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur (1,483 ft.) - World's tallest buildings 2012 - Pictures - CBS News World's tallest buildings 2012 Next 1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai (2,717 ft.) An aerial view shows Burj Khalifa, under construction in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on December 17, 2009. The building is 163 stories tall and opened in 2010, and at 2,717 feet tall it is the world's tallest, according to Emporis, a provider of data on global construction. Credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images Dubai's Burj Khalifa building is seen on September 29, 2010. Credit: JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, officially opened the Burj Khalifa tower at an ceremony lit by fireworks, on January 4, 2010.

Credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images An Emarati man points toward the city from the observation deck of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower on January 4, 2010. Credit: KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images 2. Taipei 101, Taipei (1,671 ft.) A tourist takes a photo of the Taipei 101, the world's second-tallest skyscraper, on August 5, 2010. Credit: PATRICK LIN/AFP/Getty Images) 3. World Financial Center, Shanghai (1,614 ft.) The 101-story World Financial Center in the Pudong financial district in Shanghai, June 28, 2011. China's construction boom and appetite for bold buildings have given a host of architects the chance to push design boundaries, and other fast-developing Asian nations have followed suit. Nine of the top 15 tallest buildings in the world today have been completed within the past 15 years - and seven of those new skyscrapers are in Asia. Credit: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images 4.

International Commerce Center, Hong Kong (1,588 ft.) The International Commerce Center (ICC) building is seen next to a silhouette of a palm tree in Hong Kong on November 22, 2011. A recent study found that Hong Kong was the world's most expensive place to rent office space in 2010. Credit: Aaron Tam/AFP/Getty Images 5. & 6. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur (1,483 ft.) A night shot of Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers, next to the Maxix building at right, in Kuala Lumpur on February 6, 2010. Tying for fifth and sixth places on the world's tallest buildings list, they remain the tallest twin structures in the world. Credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images 7. Zifeng Tower, Nanching (1,476 ft.) The Zifeng Tower (formerly called the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center) was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 2009. Credit: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill 8.

Willis Tower, Chicago (1,451 ft.) The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is seen on March 12, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The building - once the tallest in the world - was built in the 1970s to house the offices of the then-largest retailer in the world, Sears, Roebuck & Co. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images Children check out the view from the 1,353-foot-high observatory known as the Ledge, a glass cube that juts out from the 103rd floor Skydeck of the Willis Tower, July 1, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images 9. Kingkey 100, Shenzhen (1,449 ft.) The Kingkey 100 (formerly called the KingKey Finance Center Plaza) is seen under construction in Shenzhen city, south China's Guangdong province, April 13, 2011. Credit: Yuan shuiling 10.

International Finance Center, Guangzhou (1,435 ft) An aerial view of the Guangzhou International Finance Center (IFC) and surrounding buildings in Guangzhou city, south China's Guangdong province, October 17, 2010. Credit: Nan sha gz 11. Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai (1,380 ft.) A view looking down upon the Grand Hyatt Hotel within the Jin Mao Tower, in the financial district of Pudong, Shanghai, January 17, 2011. Credit: PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images 12. Two International Finance Center, Hong Kong (1,362 ft.) The Var, a French Navy ship, sails through Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, dwarfed by the territory's largest skyscraper, Two International Finance Center (IFC), June 17, 2007. Credit: LAURENT FIEVET/AFP/Getty Images Images of lightning striking the International Finance Center (IFC) in Hong Kong. Credit: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images 13.

Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago (1,362 ft.) The glass-covered Trump Tower is seen under construction, rising up behind the Wrigley Building in Chicago's business district, on August 18, 2008. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III teed-off for a once-in-a lifetime golf shot from the 16th floor terrace of the Trump International Hotel & Tower, September 26, 2011, in celebration of reaching the year-out mark of the 2012 Ryder Cup. The stunt raised money for charity. Credit: Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Ryder Cup 14. Al Hamra Tower, Kuwait City (1,352 ft.) Laborers are seen at work on the Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait City, November 15, 2009. Credit: YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images 15. CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou (1,283 ft.) Pedestrians cross the street in front of the Citic Bank in Guangzhou, China, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007.

Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong 16. Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen (1,260 ft.) Shun Hing Square (also known as Di Wang) in Shenzhen, China. Credit: Falconstrike2008/Wikipedia 17. Empire State Buidling, New York City (1,250 ft.) The Empire State Building is seen on March 31, 2012 in New York City. Once the tallest building in the world, the Empire State Building was completed in 1931. Credit: John Lamparski/Getty Images The Empire State Building towers over the Manhattan skyline on February 13, 2012 in New York City. Credit: John Moore/Getty Images A view of Manhattan from the 86th Floor Observatory at the Empire State Building on the first day of spring March 20, 2012 in New York. In the distance: Lower Manhattan, where the Freedom Tower is currently under construction. Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images 18 & 19.

Emirates Park Towers I and II, Dubai (1,234 ft.) The twin towers of the Emirates Park Towers complex (seen in this artist's rendering) have been topped off, and will be opened later this year. Credit: The Emirates Group 20. Central Plaza, Hong Kong (1,227 ft.) Ferries carry passengers across Victoria Harbor in the shadow of the Central Plaza (center, rear) and the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Center, as the sun sets over Hong Kong on July 1, 2010. Credit: DANIEL SORABJI/AFP/Getty Images Under Construction: One World Trade Center, New York City One World Trade Center, the central skyscraper at Ground Zero, is seen under construction on January 30, 2012 in New York City. The price tag for One World Trade has recently been valued at $3.8 billion, which would make it the world's most expensive new office tower. Most of the cost overruns are due to the security measures being taken in the design of the building, which sits on a site that has been bombed twice by terrorists.

The 1,776-foot skyscraper (which includes a 408-foot spire) is expected to be completed at the end of 2013. Credit: Spencer Platt An artist's rendition of the completed Freedom Tower. Under Construction: Aldar Central Market, Abu Dhabi (1,253 ft.) Construction is wrapping up on the three towers of the Aldar Central market in Abu Dhabi. The tallest of the three spires, called the Domain, is 88 stories and contains office space and a hotel. Under Construction: Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower, Mecca An aerial view taken November 7, 2011 shows the Abraj Al-Bait Towers (also known as the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower), in the holy city of Mecca during the annual Hajj pilgrimage rituals. When completed later in 2012, it will be the second-tallest building in the world, at 1,971 feet.

By CBSNews.com senior editor David Morgan Credit: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images | Petronas Twin Towers Petronas Twin Towers Simon Lee 0 When you come to Kuala Lumpur, one of the tourist destinations most commonly seen on every tourist must-see list is the Petronas twin towers. Nestled in the heart of the city, the towers which are the fourth tallest towers in the world today stands magnificent as the proud symbol of Malaysia’s advancement in today’s world. It is the tallest twin building towers in the world. Standing at 1483 feet above the ground, these towers of super high-strength reinforced concrete is a magnificent sight to behold, especially when the lights come on at night. Malaysians have the fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir to thank because he was the leader who pioneered the vision of the building. The towers were completed in the year 1998 and have 88 floors to each tower. One feature of these towers that have become a great attraction is the sky bridge. It joins the towers on the 41st and 42nd floor of the buildings.

This attraction is actually a safety feature, in case of an emergency whereby people can be evacuated from one tower to another if ever the need may rise. In the initial years, getting across from tower to tower was free for all visitors but today, you need to buy tickets to get across. So, if you wish to get this once in a life time experience of walking on such heights, you may want to make your way as early as possible as tickets are only limited to 1000 a day. You are allowed to either visit the sky bridge or go all the way up to the 86th floor to catch a bird’s eye view of the entire city. At the bottom of the two towers is the suria KLCC. An exciting shopping destination which features many up market designer stores. The Petronas twin towers are also the destination if you wish to go to the underwater aquarium . Besides that, the towers is also the place to be in if you wish to go to the science centre . The Petronas Philharmonic Hall is also strategically situated right here in the towers. The Petronas towers are a great place to visit while having vacation in Kuala Lumpur . It is a one stop destination for activities for the entire family.

Recommended Hotels in Kuala Lumpur City Centre 1. Traders Hotel by Shangri La Nice sky bar and nice room overlooking the Petronas Twin Towers! Petronas Tower / Twin Tower - KLCC In Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia - YouTube Petronas Tower / Twin Tower - KLCC In Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 23, 2011 The Petronas Towers (also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC) are skyscrapers and twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101, but remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.[5]The building is the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower. The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world for six years, until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004.

The height of the towers is measured to the top of their structural components such as spires, but do not include antennas.[6] Spires are considered actual integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The Petronas Towers still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.[7] The Petronas's height compared to some other well-known tall structures Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) and the World Trade Center towers were each constructed with 110 occupied floors -- 22 more than the 88 floors of the Petronas Towers. Willis Tower's tallest antenna is 247.4 ft taller than those of the Petronas Towers, however, in accordance to CTBUH regulations and guidelines,[8] the antennas of Willis Tower were not counted as part of its architectural features.[9] The spires on the Petronas Towers are included in the height since they are not antenna masts. Therefore, the Petronas Towers exceed the official height of Willis Tower by 10 m.

Designed by Argentine architects César Pelli and Djay Cerico under the consultancy of Julius Gold and Filipino engineer Domingo Basa, the Petronas Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion.[10] They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpur's race track.[11] Because of the depth of the bedrock, the buildings were built on the world's deepest foundations.[12] The 120-meter foundations were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche and required massive amounts of concrete.[13] Its engineering designs on structural framework were contributed by Haitian engineer Domo Obiasse and colleagues Aris Battista and Princess D Battista.

The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.[14] Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is based on a Rub el Hizb, albeit with circular sectors added to meet office space requirements.[15] Tower 1 was built by a Japanese consortium led by the Hazama Corporation while Tower 2 was built by Samsung C&T and Kukdong Engineering & Construction, both South Korean contractors. The sky bridge contract was completed by Kukdong Engineering & Construction. Although the Japanese company started construction earlier, the South Korean companies were able to complete construction ahead of the Japanese company's schedule. Thus, Tower 2 became the first to reach the world's tallest building at the time.[16] Due to a lack of steel and the huge cost of importing steel, the towers were constructed on a cheaper radical design of super high-strength reinforced concrete.[17] High-strength concrete is a material familiar to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in sway reduction; however, it makes the building twice as heavy on its foundation than a comparable steel building.

Supported by 23-by-23 metre concrete cores[18] and an outer ring of widely spaced super columns, the towers use a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides 560,000 square metres of column-free office space.[19] Below the twin towers is Suria KLCC, a shopping mall, and Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Other buildings have used spires to increase their height but have always been taller overall to the pinnacle when trying to claim the title. In the aftermath of the controversy, the rules governing official titles were partially overhauled, and a number of buildings re-classified structural antenna as architectural details to boost their height rating even though nothing was actually done to the building.

Category Petronas Towers Height: 1,483 ft (452 meters) Owners: Kuala Lumpur City Centre Holdings Sendirian Berhad Architects: Cesar Pelli & Associates Contractors: Mayjus and SKJ Joint Ventures Topping Out: 1998 Official Opening: August 28, 1999 On April 15, 1996, the Council on Tall Buildings named the Petronas Towers the tallest in the world, passing the torch to a new continent. Although the project's developers, a consortium of private investors in association with the Malaysian government and Petronas, the national oil company, had not originally set out to surpass Chicago's Sears Tower, they did aspire to construct a monument announcing Kuala Lumpur's prominence as a commercial and cultural capital. In the design of American architect Cesar Pelli they found a winning scheme--twin towers of elegant proportions with a slenderness ratio (height to width) of 9.4--that would capture not only the title but the public imagination. Pelli's design answered the developer's call to express the 'culture and heritage of Malaysia' by evoking Islamic arabesques and employing repetitive geometries characteristic of Muslim architecture.

In plan, an 8-point star formed by intersecting squares is an obvious reference to Islamic design; curved and pointed bays create a scalloped facade that suggests temple towers. The identical towers are linked by a bridge at the 41st floor, creating a dramatic gateway to the city. The structure is high-strength concrete, a material familiar to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in sway reduction. Supported by 75-by-75-foot concrete cores and an outer ring of widely-spaced super columns, the towers showcase a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides from 14,000 to 22,000 square feet of column-free office space per floo Other features include a curtain wall of glass and stainless steel sun shades to diffuse the intense equatorial light; a double-decker elevator system with a sky lobby transfer point on the 41st floor to accommodate the thousands of people who use the complex daily; and a mixed-use base featuring a concert hall and shopping center enveloped by nearly seventy acres of public parks and plazas.

In both engineering and design, the Petronas Towers succeed at acknowledging Malaysia's past and future, embracing the country's heritage while proclaiming its modernization. The end result, says Pelli, is a monument that is not specifically Malaysian, but will forever be identified with Kuala Lumpur. Petronas Twin Tower 1 - The Skyscraper Center Petronas Twin Tower 1 375 m / 1,230 ft Height: To Tip 451.9 m / 1,483 ft 197,500 m² / 2,125,872 ft² Facts #1 Tallest in Kuala Lumpur Companies Involved Arbed About Petronas Twin Tower 1 The Petronas Towers, located in Kuala Lumpur, were designed to herald the emergence of Malaysia into the global economy and act as an easily identifiable symbol for the fast-growing country. The development’s scope, scale, and design reflect the desire to create a representative manifestation of local traditions and ingenuity. In particular, the design is based on Islamic geometry, a reflection of Malaysia’s cultural heritage.

The buildings are perhaps most noteworthy for the skybridge that connects them on the 41st and 42nd floors. Although there is no structural benefit to the connection, it offers more than just an architectural flourish. By linking the two buildings together, the facilities of each tower around that level can be shared, including a conference room, prayer room, and executive dining room. Additionally, the skybridge is an integral part of the towers’ fire evacuation strategy. Due to budgetary constraints, the development timeline of Petronas Towers was constrained to six years, an ambitious feat considering that the original expected construction time for the project was eight years. To speed things along, two construction consortiums were hired, each being responsible for building one of the towers. Naturally, incentives were established that rewarded the first team to the top with the rights to build the skybridge, resulting in a race between the Japanese and South Korean consortiums. Ultimately, Tower 2 was the first to reach its pinnacle, with the South Korean crew claiming victory.

CTBUH Initiatives Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings 13 Oct 2016, Chicago – CTBUH Research The Council is pleased to announce the Top Company Rankings for numerous disciplines as derived from the list of projects appearing in 100 of the World’s Tallest Buildings. CTBUH Releases Analysis of Global Population and Tall Buildings Apr 2011 – CTBUH Journal Paper Tall buildings are spreading across the globe at an ever-increasing rate. This study demonstrates the relationship between population and tall buildings across those countries and presents information… Height: The History of Measuring Tall Buildings Dec 2009, Chicago – CTBUH News This article describes some of the events which took place in the Council's long, and sometimes complex, history of measuring tall buildings. CTBUH / Nakheel Asia Tour Report 19-29 Apr 2007, Shanghai – Tour Report CTBUH collaborated with the Dubai-based developer Nakheel and architects Woods Bagot to facilitate a 5-nation tour of seminal tall buildings in south-east Asia.

Videos Videos Related to Petronas Twin Tower 1 Videos Related to Petronas Twin Tower 1 Interview: Faudziah Ibrahim 27 Oct 2015 – 2015 New York Conference Interviews; Faudziah Ibrahim, KLCC Faudziah Ibrahim of KLCC is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2015 CTBUH New York Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York. Faudziah discusses Vision 2020 of Malaysia… Petronas Towers and KLCC: Urban Catalyst 26 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Faudziah Ibrahim, KLCC Property Holdings Berhad This presentation examines the role of skyscrapers in a well-planned mixed commercial development that is not driven by speculative short-term investment goals in… Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Award: Wind Engineering the World’s Tallest 6 Nov 2014 – CTBUH "13th Annual Awards"; Dr. Peter Irwin, RWDI Consulting Engineers Peter Irwin, one of the founding partners of Rowan Williams Davies and Irwin Inc.

(RWDI), has led wind engineering on many of the world’s tallest buildings, including the… Fazlur Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal: Geotechnics for the World’s Tallest 7 Nov 2013 – CTBUH "12th Annual Awards"; Clyde N. Baker, Jr., AECOM Clyde Baker has performed geotechnical engineering for seven of the 16 tallest buildings in the world, and a major portion of the high-rise buildings built in downtown… Interview: Fazlur Khan Winner: Clyde Baker 7 Nov 2013 – 2013 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; Clyde N. Baker, Jr., AECOM Clyde N. Baker, Jr., Fazlur R.

Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal Winner, discusses his lifetime work as a geotechnical engineer including working on 7 of the 16 world's… Fazlur Kahn Lifetime Achievement Medal: A Lifetime’s Engineering Collaboration 18 Oct 2012 – CTBUH "11th Annual Awards"; Charles Thornton & Richard Tomasetti, Thornton Tomasetti The partnership between Charles Thornton and Richard Tomasetti has provided the backbone for many of the most dramatic and innovative tall buildings around the world.… Interview: Fazlur Khan Winner: Charles Thornton & Richard Tomasetti 18 Oct 2012 – 2012 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; Charles Thornton, Thornton Tomasetti; Richard Tomasetti, Thornton Tomasetti Founders of the structural engineering firm, Thornton Tomasetti, Charlie and Richard were jointly awarded the Fazlur R. Kahn Medal for not only their contributions to the… Advanced Structural Silicone Glazing 19 Sep 2012 – Presentation at CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Lawrence D.

Carbary, Industry Scientist; Dow Corning Corporation This presentation discussed an advanced engineering evaluation using nonlinear analysis to improve structural silicone glazing (SSG) design in high performance curtain… Founder and First Chairman 'Lynn Beedle' 2 Nov 2008 – CTBUH Leader Presentations & Meetings; CTBUH 2008 Leader Presentation Video Biography about Lynn Beedle and the Council on Tall Buildings, narrated by his son David and shown during the first annual awards dinner. For his 30 years of dedicated… Tall Buildings: Sustainable Design Opportunities 3 Mar 2008 – Presentation at CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Akbar Tamboli, Thornton Tomasetti Akbar Tamboli from Thornton Tomasetti, focused on the incorporation of sustainable structural designs at the CTBUH 8th World Congress.

The three major tall buildings he… Browse hundreds of other videos from Council events including conferences and interviews with prominent tall building professionals in the Video Library Research Papers Papers Related to Petronas Twin Tower 1 Papers Related to Petronas Twin Tower 1 Rethinking Evacuation: Rethinking Cities Aug 2011 – CTBUH Journal, 2011 Issue III; Antony Wood, CTBUH The terrorist attacks and consequential collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001 resulted in, arguably, the largest single retrospective analysis… Tall and Urban: An Analysis of Global Population and Tall Buildings Apr 2011 – CTBUH Journal, 2011 Issue II; CTBUH Research Tall buildings are spreading across the globe at an ever-increasing rate. This study demonstrates the relationship between population and tall buildings across those… International Applications of Elevators for Fire Service Access and Occupant Egress in Fires Aug 2010 – CTBUH Journal, 2010 Issue III; Richard W.

Bukowski, RJA Despite the absence of technical standards, tall buildings worldwide are incorporating elevators for occupant evacuation to achieve significant reductions in total… Structural Design of Reinforced Concrete Tall Buildings Feb 2010 – CTBUH Journal, 2010 Issue I; Ali Sherif S. Rizk, Dar Al-Handasah Consultants During the last 12 years the Structural Engineering Department at Dar Al-Handasah has designed 45 mixed-use tall buildings in different Arab countries. The designed… Tall Buildings in Numbers: The Tallest Buildings in the World: Past, Present & Future Jun 2008 – CTBUH Journal, 2008 Issue II; CTBUH Research Over time, the average height of the 100 tallest buildings in the world has been steadily increasing.

However, by 2010, this average height will have jumped to 349… Alternative Forms of Tall Building Evacuation May 2007 – AEI / NIST Conference May 2007; Antony Wood, CTBUH Executive Director The terrorist attacks on, and consequential collapse of, the World Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 has resulted in, arguably, the largest single retrospective… Application of High Performance Concrete in Petronas Twin Tower, KLCC Oct 2004 – CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference; Jae-Ho Kim & Seung-Hoon Lee, Samsung Corporation This paper will focus on the development of high performance concrete for the highest building in the world, which required careful planning and choice of materials,… Probabilistic Prediction and Field Measurement of Column Shortening for 41-storey Residential Building Oct 2004 – CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference; Hwa-Cheol Song & Yun-Sung Jang, Korea Maritime University; Young-Kyu Ju, University of Texas at Austin; Dae-Young Kim, Daewoo Insitute of Construction Technology Long-term axial shortening of the vertical elements

 of tall buildings results in differential movements between two vertical elements and may lead to the additional… Life Safety System Design for the Petronas Twin Towers Oct 2003 – CTBUH / CIB Kuala Lumpur 2003 Conference; Lawrence S.

Ng, Cesar Pelli & Associates One of the early design meetings of the Petronas Twin Towers was held in New York on the date of the first explosion at the World Trade Center in February 1993, when a… Petronas Tower / KLCC In Kuala Lumpur,MaLaysia - YouTube Petronas Tower / KLCC In Kuala Lumpur,MaLaysia Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 28, 2011 The Petronas Towers (also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC) are skyscrapers and twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101, but remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.[5]The building is the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower.

The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world for six years, until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004. The height of the towers is measured to the top of their structural components such as spires, but do not include antennas.[6] Spires are considered actual integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The Petronas Towers still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.[7] The Petronas's height compared to some other well-known tall structures Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) and the World Trade Center towers were each constructed with 110 occupied floors -- 22 more than the 88 floors of the Petronas Towers. Willis Tower's tallest antenna is 247.4 ft taller than those of the Petronas Towers, however, in accordance to CTBUH regulations and guidelines,[8] the antennas of Willis Tower were not counted as part of its architectural features.[9] The spires on the Petronas Towers are included in the height since they are not antenna masts.

Therefore, the Petronas Towers exceed the official height of Willis Tower by 10 m. Designed by Argentine architects César Pelli and Djay Cerico under the consultancy of Julius Gold and Filipino engineer Domingo Basa, the Petronas Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion.[10] They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpur's race track.[11] Because of the depth of the bedrock, the buildings were built on the world's deepest foundations.[12] The 120-meter foundations were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche and required massive amounts of concrete.[13] Its engineering designs on structural framework were contributed by Haitian engineer Domo Obiasse and colleagues Aris Battista and Princess D Battista.

The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.[14] Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is based on a Rub el Hizb, albeit with circular sectors added to meet office space requirements.[15] Tower 1 was built by a Japanese consortium led by the Hazama Corporation while Tower 2 was built by Samsung C&T and Kukdong Engineering & Construction, both South Korean contractors. The sky bridge contract was completed by Kukdong Engineering & Construction. Although the Japanese company started construction earlier, the South Korean companies were able to complete construction ahead of the Japanese company's schedule. Thus, Tower 2 became the first to reach the world's tallest building at the time.[16] Due to a lack of steel and the huge cost of importing steel, the towers were constructed on a cheaper radical design of super high-strength reinforced concrete.[17] High-strength concrete is a material familiar to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in sway reduction; however, it makes the building twice as heavy on its foundation than a comparable steel building.

Supported by 23-by-23 metre concrete cores[18] and an outer ring of widely spaced super columns, the towers use a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides 560,000 square metres of column-free office space.[19] Below the twin towers is Suria KLCC, a shopping mall, and Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Other buildings have used spires to increase their height but have always been taller overall to the pinnacle when trying to claim the title. In the aftermath of the controversy, the rules governing official titles were partially overhauled, and a number of buildings re-classified structural antenna as architectural details to boost their height rating even though nothing was actually done to the building. Category Dubai's Plan for the World's Tallest Twin Towers Unveiled Dubai's Plan for the World's Tallest Twin Towers Unveiled {{article.article.images.featured.caption}} Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Full Bio The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. Loading ... Loading ...

This story appears in the {{article.article.magazine.pretty_date}} issue of {{article.article.magazine.pubName}}. Subscribe A new announcement came this week from co-developers Dubai Holding and Emaar Properties . Their next big project on the horizon is Dubai Creek Harbour—a 1,482 acre site including a pair of towers that they hope will be the world's tallest twinned skyscrapers. The area planned for Dubai Creek Harbour is three times the size of Emaar's current Downtown Dubai development, home of the Burj Khalifa, which Emaar also developed. Its location would be next to the ‘Ras Al Khor’ wetlands on the city's waterfront at The Lagoons. With six other structures planned in addition to the twin skyscrapers, the project will also include retail, luxury hotels, and an estimated 39,000 residential units. A statement released by Emaar says: "Planned on an open site, Dubai Creek Harbour will combine the city with the natural contours of the creek.

With no legacy ties to infrastructure, this new Dubai will leapfrog many of the world’s other global cities." The developer released its design concepts and layout without disclosing who the architects will be, though units from the first planned residential tower will hit the pre-sale market in Dubai, Abu Dahbi, London and Moscow on November 1 regardless. This first residential tower will be 40-stories, with one, two and three-bedroom units ranging from 900 to 2, 150 square feet. The Model at the Dubai Creek Harbour Unveiling. Photo: Emaar Properties The first residences planned for Dubai Creek Harbour. Photo: Emaar Properties There are unknowns about the twin skyscrapers as well, such as when construction will commence and what the cost of construction will be. The towers' height also remains a mystery, though Emaar claims that they will surpass the world's current tallest twin towers—Kuala Lumpur's Petronas, which stand at 1,483 feet tall.

The second (JW Marriott Marquis Dubai at 1,165 feet) and third (Emirates Towers at 1,165 feet and 1,014 feet) tallest twin skyscrapers are located in Dubai. According to Ahmad Bin Byat, CEO of Dubai Holding, this pedestrian-friendly urban enclave, which is set to include healthcare centers and schools, will be "the pride of the city." The hopes of Emaar's chairman Mohamed Alabbar are just as high. “The residences will takes residents to the very source of Dubai’s history and provide them with a modern, luxurious, living environment," he said during his presentation of the master-plan. Could this project fail to take off due to financial obstacles? Sure, that has happened before in Dubai; recall the Nakheel Tower , the Dubai City Tower , and Zaha Hadid's Opera House . But for what it's worth, the developer appears to be in a stable financial condition.

On October 29, 2014, Emaar reported a net operating profit growth of 37% for the first 9 months of 2014 (US$ 678 million), compared to the first 9 months of 2013 (US$ 493 million). "The prime driver in our growth is the positive performance of the Dubai economy, which continues to inspire international investor confidence," Alabbar commented. "I think all the stakeholders in Dubai in this business learned their lessons and they have matured. What it boils down to is supply and demand."

Question: The Petronas Towers, the world's tallest twin towers, are in which Asian city?
Answer: Kuala Lumpur